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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about OpenDaw.
OpenDaw is a free, open-source Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It supports audio and MIDI recording, a piano roll, sheet music notation, VST3 plugins, signal routing, automation, and an AI assistant.
Yes. OpenDaw is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0. It is free to use, modify, and distribute.
- Windows — installer (.exe) and portable (.zip)
- macOS — disk image (.dmg)
- Linux — AppImage
- Import: WAV, MP3, FLAC, OGG Vorbis, AIFF
- Export: WAV (16/24/32-bit), FLAC (16/24-bit), OGG Vorbis (quality 0–10)
- MIDI: .mid / .midi files for import
OpenDaw saves projects as .tracktionedit files — Tracktion Engine's native XML format.
- Check Edit > Audio Settings — make sure an output device is selected
- Make sure at least one track is not muted
- Check the master volume fader in the mixer
- Try a different audio driver (WASAPI, ASIO, DirectSound)
- Go to Edit > Scan VST Plugins to scan for installed plugins
- Assign a VST3 instrument to a MIDI track via the instrument button
- Add VST3 effects via the Effects panel's + Add Effect dialog
The build system includes VST2 hosting capability, but VST2 SDK distribution is restricted by Steinberg. VST3 is the recommended plugin format.
- Arm a track by clicking the R button on the track header
- Set the track's input selector to your audio device
- Click Record in the transport bar (or press
R) - Click Stop when finished
Use MIDI Panic — press Ctrl+Shift+P or go to Transport > MIDI Panic. This sends all-notes-off on every MIDI channel.
- Open the AI tab in the right panel
- Click Settings
- Enter your Anthropic API key (
sk-ant-...) - Click OK
Sign up at console.anthropic.com and create an API key. The AI assistant uses Claude, Anthropic's AI model.
The key is stored locally in your app settings on your computer. It is only sent to Anthropic's API when you use the assistant — never to any other server.
The AI assistant uses your own Anthropic API key, so standard Anthropic API usage fees apply. OpenDaw itself does not charge anything.
MSVC 2022 (Visual Studio 2022 Community or higher) on Windows. The project uses C++20.
JUCE 8 does not support MinGW. MSVC is required.
The first build compiles all of JUCE and Tracktion Engine, which takes 2–4 minutes. After that, incremental rebuilds only take 10–15 seconds.
See the Contributing page for guidelines on bug reports, feature requests, and pull requests.
Yes. OpenDaw automatically saves your work periodically. On next launch, a recovery dialog will appear listing all recoverable sessions with timestamps. Choose to restore or discard.
Try resizing the window or resetting the dock layout. If the issue persists, please file a bug report with a screenshot.
- Make sure your project has audio content (non-empty, non-muted tracks)
- Check that the master output fader is not at zero
- Try exporting to a different format or location